Male Condom

Male condoms are one of the most popular forms of birth control out there. They slip over a guy's penis to prevent pregnancy and lower the risk of STIs by keeping sperm inside the condom. There are hundreds of shapes and sizes to choose from.

Details

STI protection!
The best thing about most types of condoms is that they protect you against sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV. Lambskin condoms, however, are the one type you should not rely on for STI protection — they are able to block sperm, but not infections.

Condoms take effort and commitment
You have to make sure to use them correctly, every time, no matter what, in order for them to be effective.

Cheap and easy to find
Condoms are inexpensive (and sometimes even free from clinics). Plus, you can find them just about everywhere, from truck stops to supermarkets.

No prescription necessary
If you can't make it to the doctor (or don't want to), you can always use a condom.

Not so good if you're allergic to latex
If you're allergic to latex, you'll need to use a plastic or lambskin condom (but don't forget that lambskin condoms aren't good for STI protection), or try another method.

Side Effects

There are positive and negative things to say about each and every method. And everyone's different, so what you experience may not be the same as what your friend experiences.

The Positive

Protects against STIs, including HIV

Relatively inexpensive and easy to find

No prescription necessary

The Negative

Unless you're allergic to latex, condoms cause no physical side effects (only one or two out of 100 people are allergic, and if you happen to be one of them, you can always use a plastic condom instead).